2015 Charmes Chambertin
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Tasting notes
The 2015 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru has a smudged, rather enervated bouquet that lacks the energy of its peers. The palate is sweet and rather jammy and feels monochromatic and a little fatigued toward the finish. To be honest, I much prefer the 2015 Gevrey Combottes, though perhaps this just fluffed its lines on the day. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.
Critic scores
Average Score
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Good full red. Very ripe but slightly stunted nose offers soil and oak tones but with fruit in the deep background; one is immediately aware of the vintage here. In a chewy, rather masculine style, not yet expansive. Impressively dense but showing a medicinal reserve. Today the tannins are stronger and drier than those of the Combottes. This wine was reduced from barrel a year ago but nonetheless offered more flavor interest and floral lift (of course, the Arlauds' vines are in Mazoyères). Will this youthfully hard-edged wine gain in sweetness with bottle aging?
Cask sample. Ripe fruit but much fresher than the Morey Aux Cheseaux sample I tasted at Lay & Wheeler (note not included). Dark and spicy and richly textured. These are a distinctive style with much more tannic texture than most of the 2015s I have been tasting today. Firm, dry and spicy on the finish. More power than elegance. Wait. (JH)